Knockdown crate



NTTED STATES PATENT FFICE.

GEORGE T. MCGLAUGHLIN, OF PARKERS LANDING, PENNSYLVANIA.

KNOCKDOWN CRATE.

s'rncrFIcATroN forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,607, dated March 7, 1899.

Application filed December 19, 1898. Serial No. 699,734. (No model.)

T0 all whom t may concern,.-

Beit known that I, GEORGE T. MGGLAUGH- LIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Parkers Landing, in the county of Armstrong and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Knockdown Crate, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in knockdown crates.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of knockdown crates and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient one designed for shippers and manufacturers who require the return of their crates and capable of being knocked down and arranged in a car as compactly as ordinary lumber in shipping it back.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a crate constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. l is a detail perspective view of a portion of one of the sides of the crate, illustrating the arrangement of the grooves and recesses.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the iigu'res of the drawings.

1 designates a crate comprising a removable cover 1a and a knockdown body having sides 2 and ends 3, detachably mounted upon a bottom 4, and the fastening devices for supporting the sides and ends upon the bottom also serve as a means for securing the cover on the body. The sides 2, which are extended beyond the ends 3, are provided at their inner faces with vertical grooves 5, which receive the vertical edges of the ends, and the latter terminate short of the upper edges of the sides and have their Vupper edges engaged by intermediate transverse bars 6, which are ush with the said upper edges of the sides. The upper edges of the sides are provided with recesses 7 to' receive the intermediate bars 6, which extend outward beyond the sides, and the extended ends of the bars 6 are provided with perforations 8, through which pass exterior vertical rods 9, located at the corners of the crate and having their upper and lower ends 10 and 11 threaded. The lower ends of the rods extend through perforations of the projecting ends 12 of lower transverse bars 13, which are secured to the lower face of the bottom, and the ends l2 are engaged by bottom nuts 14, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The upper ends of the rods pass through projecting ends 16 of top transverse bars 17 and receive nuts 18 and 19, which engage the upper faces of the top and intermediate transverse bars. The top transverse bars are secured to the upper face of the cover. or lid l, and the intermediate transverse bars are retained in engagement with the top of the body of the crate by the nuts 19. The bars 6 are interlocked with the upper edges of the sides, as before explained, and this construction, together with the grooves 5, prevents any longitudinal movement of the sides and ends on the bottom.

Access is had to the contents of the crate by removing the top nuts 18, and when it is desired to separate the sides and ends the nuts 19 or the bottom nuts may be removed, and the top, bottom, sides, and ends of the crate may then be arranged flat on one another and disposed in va car as compactly as ordinary lumber.

The invention has the following advantages: The crate, which is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, is adapted for shipping glassware, eggs, beer, and the like, and the fastening devices for holding the sides and ends on the bottom also serve as the means for securing the lid or cover in place. When the cover is removed, the sides and ends are held securely on the bottom, and the cover may be taken off and replaced without affecting the attachment of the sides and ends.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrif tcing' any of the advantages of this invention.

Vhat is claimed is- 1. A knockdown crate comprisinga bottom, sides and ends arranged upon the bottom, a

top or cover, the top and bottom bar secured to the bottom and to the top or cover and projecting beyond the crate, vertical rods passing through the projecting ends of the bars, intermediate horizontal bars engaging the upper edges of the sides and ends and receiving the said rods, and fastening devices mounted on the rods and engaging the horizontal bars, substantially as described.

2. A knockdown crate comprising abottom, sides mounted on the bottom and provided at their inner faces With vertical grooves and having recesses at their upper edges, ends interlocked with the grooves of the sides and terminating short of the upper edges thereof, transverse rods 6 engaging the upper edges of the ends and arranged in the recesses of the sides and projecting beyond the same, a cover, the top and bottom bars permanent1y secured to the bottom and to the cover, and vertical rods passing through the said bars and provided with fastening devices for en gaging the same, substantially as described.

Y 3. Aknockdown crate comprisinga bottom, sides and ends arranged on the bottom and interlocked with each other, a cover, the top, bottom and intermediate horizontal bars, the top and bottom bars being permanently se cured to the top and bottom of the crate, and the intermediate bars being interposed between ihe cover and the edges ofthe sides and ends, and nuts arranged on the rods and engaging the said bars, substantially as de-A scribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

GEGRGE T. MOGLAUGHLIN.

Witnesses:

JAS. F. BLAKE, ROBT. BALPH. 

